Blue Jays agree to deal with Melky Cabrera

By C. Trent Rosecrans | Blogger

November 16, 2012 2:01 PM ET

The Melkman will be delivering north of the border. (US Presswire)

The Blue Jays have agreed to sign free-agent outfielder Melky Cabrera to a two-year, $16 million contract, CBSSports.com Insider Jon Heyman confirms. The deal, which was first reported by ESPN Deportes, is pending a physical.

Cabrera, 28, hit .346/.390/.516 with 11 home runs in 113 games for the Giants this past season. He was suspended 50 games on Aug. 15 for testing positive for elevated levels of testosterone. The Giants reinstated him to their 40-man roster following the National League Division Series against the Reds but did not activate him for the remainder of the postseason. His batting average would have earned him the batting title in the NL, but he took himself out of consideration in late September.

Cabrera will be able to play beginning on opening day since the Giants made the postseason and he missed 50 of their games.

In parts of eight seasons with the Yankees, Braves, Royals and Giants, Cabrera is a career .284/.338/.414 hitter with 69 home runs. The Blue Jays will be his fifth team in five seasons.